Retired Illinois bishop led 'culture of secrecy,' says report

Published: 2006-08-07

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CNS) -- Retired Springfield Bishop Daniel L. Ryan "engaged in improper sexual conduct and used his office to conceal his activities" when he headed the diocese, said an investigative report released by the diocese Aug. 2. It said Bishop Ryan, Springfield's bishop from 1984 to 1999, fostered "a culture of secrecy ... that discouraged faithful priests from coming forward with information about misconduct" by other clergy in the diocese. The investigation did not address sexual abuse of minors by church personnel, for which the diocese has a separate process. But it found evidence of other misconduct in a few parishes and of inappropriate use of church-owned computers. The report recommended policies and procedures for dealing with criminal and noncriminal misconduct by clergy, holding parishes to tighter standards of financial accountability and creating a model diocesan policy for computer and Internet use. It stemmed from an investigation commissioned by Springfield Bishop George L. Lucas and conducted between February 2005 and July 2006.

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